1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shipping cases, in particular shipping cases that are fabricated at least in part from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard material. The present invention also relates to such cases that include shipping configurations and display configurations.
2. Prior Art
In stores which deal with dry goods that are sold in their own individual containers, such as grocery or warehouse stores, a traditional method for placing the goods on display would be for store personnel to open the shipping cases in which the goods have been shipped from the supplier, individually place each item on the shelf, and arrange them neatly for presentation. Such cases were often structures dedicated solely to a shipping function, and when opened, were either destroyed or resulted in an open-topped case not well suited for merchandising functions.
However, this process of individual removal of goods from a shipping and display case, and placement on shelves, is relatively costly to the store in terms of personnel effort, time, wages, etc. Therefore, it has become desirable to reduce costs in converting goods packaged for shipping into a suitable format for display and shopping.
This has resulted in the development of a variety of cases that are configured to be convertible from a shipping configuration into a display configuration, which permits the converted case to be placed directly upon a shelf, or floor display, without having to remove the individual product items from the case. Often, this is accomplished by providing the case with removable or already cut out portions of the case that create apertures through which customers may then help themselves to the products within the converted case.
Such shipping and display cases represent a challenge in that they must be readily convertible into or already are in a form presentable to customers, while at the same time maintaining certain shipping performance characteristics, suitable for the shipment of non-self-supporting or even fragile products.
However, such prior art shipping and display cases often are either lacking in the necessary shipping performance characteristics or may have overly complex, often multipiece constructions.
It is accordingly desirable to provide a shipping and display case that is provided with internal dividers for increased strength, durability and control over the product.
It is further desirable to provide a shipping and display case that is advantageously configured for improved display and xe2x80x9cshopabilityxe2x80x9d for the consumer.
These and other desirable characteristics of the present invention will become apparent in view of the present specification and drawings.
The present invention comprises, in part, a shipping and display case for transporting and displaying product, which is operably configured to be articulated between a collapsed configuration and a shipping and display configuration.
The shipping and display case comprise first and second length wall panels; and first and second width wall panels, foldably connected to the first and second length wall panels, respectively. The first and second length wall panels are configured to be substantially perpendicular to the first and second width wall panels, when the shipping and display case is in its shipping and display configuration. Respective ones of the first and second length wall panels are configured to be substantially parallel to respective ones of the first and second width wall panels, when the shipping and display case is in its collapsed configuration.
A divider support panel is operably connected to one of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, the divider support panel being operably positioned substantially between said one of said first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels. At least one divider panel is foldably connected at a first end to the divider support panel, and foldably connected at a second end to the other of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, the at least one divider panel being operably configured to extend substantially perpendicular to respective ones of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, when the shipping and display case is in its shipping and display configuration.
At least one bottom flap is operably connected to one of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, and operably configured to be positioned substantially perpendicular to the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, when the shipping and display case is in its shipping and display configuration.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the divider support panel is foldably connected to a top edge of said one of the first and second length wall panels, and is foldably positioned in juxtaposed, overlying relation to an inside surface of said one of said first and second length wall panels. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the divider support panel is foldably connected to a top edge of said one of the first and second width wall panels, and is foldably positioned in juxtaposed, overlying relation to an inside surface of said one of said first and second width wall panels.
Preferably, the at least one divider panel may comprise two divider panels, each divider panel foldably connected at a first end to the divider support panel, and foldably connected at a second end to the other of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, the two divider panels being operably configured to extend substantially perpendicular between one of a set of first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels, when the shipping and display case is in its shipping and display configuration.
Preferably, at least one access aperture is disposed in at least one of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the height of the at least one divider panel is approximately equal to the height of the first and second length wall panels and the height of the first and second width wall panels.
In preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and second length wall panels, first and second width wall panels, divider support panel, at least one divider panel, and at least one bottom flap are all monolithically formed from a single blank of case material. The single blank of case material may be fabricated from at least one of the following materials: paper, paperboard, corrugated paperboard.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a divider attachment flap is foldably connected to said second end of said at least one divider panel.
The present invention also comprises, in part, a blank for forming a shipping and display case for transporting and displaying product. The blank comprises a first length wall panel; first and second width wall panels each of which is foldably connected to an opposite end edge region of the first length wall panel, respectively; and a second length wall panel, foldably connected to an end edge region of one of the first and second width wall panels opposite the end edge region of said first and second width wall panel attached to said first length wall panel.
A divider support panel is foldably connected to a top edge region of the first length wall panel; and at least one divider panel is foldably connected to an end edge region of the divider support panel. At least one bottom flap is foldably connected to a bottom edge region of one of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the blank is monolithically formed from a single blank of case material. Preferably, the single blank of case material is fabricated from at least one of the following materials: paper, paperboard, corrugated paperboard.
The invention also comprises in part a blank for forming a shipping and display case for transporting and displaying product. The blank comprises a first length wall panel; first and second width wall panels each of which is foldably connected to an opposite end edge region of the first length wall panel, respectively; and a second length wall panel, foldably connected to an end edge region of one of the first and second width wall panels opposite the end edge region of said first and second width wall panel attached to said first length wall panel. A divider support panel is foldably connected to a top edge region of the first width wall panel. At least one divider panel is foldably connected to an end edge region of the divider support panel. At least one bottom flap is foldably connected to a bottom edge region of one of the first and second length wall panels and first and second width wall panels. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the blank is monolithically formed from a single blank of case material. Preferably, the single blank of case material is fabricated from at least one of the following materials: paper, paperboard, corrugated paperboard.